Axios

The European Union is preparing to ban American travelers from entering the bloc when it reopens its borders to the outside world starting July 1, labeling the U.S. along with Russia and Brazil for their failure to stop the spread of the coronavirus, according to the New York Times.

Why it matters: It's an international rebuke of the Trump administration's handling of the pandemic. Millions of American tourists travel to the EU every summer, but that's unlikely to happen until the U.S. gets the virus under control.

Ethiopia is planning to begin to fill the 72 billion liter reservoir of the massive Grand Renaissance Dam within weeks. Egypt vows that Ethiopia will come to regret it if it follows through.

The big picture: The dam dispute has rumbled on since Ethiopia announced the staggeringly ambitious project, which will double its electrical output but disrupt the flow of the Nile to Egypt and Sudan, nine years ago.

Africa is reeling from the economic ravages of the coronavirus. Now the disease itself is accelerating across the continent.

Why it matters: “The question we’ve been asking is, ‘Is it that we will not see widespread outbreaks or that we haven’t seen them yet?’” says Tom Frieden, former CDC director.

Russians began voting Thursday on the most significant package of constitutional changes since the fall of the Soviet Union.

Why it matters: The most significant of all is the clearing of President Vladimir Putin's term limits to allow him to remain in power until 2036.

Acceptance of homosexuality is growing in most of the world, but not everywhere, according to Pew Research data from 34 countries.

Driving the news: 54% of South Africans say homosexuality should be accepted in society, up from 32% in 2013.

Discussions at the White House on the Trump administration's plan on how to handle possible Israeli annexations in the West Bank ended with no final decision, a U.S. official told me.

Why it matters: The fact there is no firm decision yet signals that the White House has decided to take a more cautious approach toward the issue. U.S. officials told me that talks with the Israelis will continue, but it is going to take more time.

Liberal democracy is at risk from the coronavirus pandemic, warns an open letter signed by prominent figures including former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright, ex-Trump national security adviser H.R. McMaster and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R).

Details: The letter, also signed by Nobel Prize winners and current and former leaders from around the world, notes democratically elected governments are "amassing emergency powers that restrict human rights and enhance state surveillance," with little oversight.